[ ACT 1 END ]

(( Cecil, Fledgling, and the rest of them will be moving to their very own main blog account instead of bumming about on my main (they never paid rent smh)! I've gone from making this guy to pester a friend and he's developed so much that I believe he should have his own place to call home.

Er... sure? What is it, Lassie?

"You promise you won't get mad?"

Hoohoo, I ain't gonna go an eat yer phone again if that's what yer askin'.

"Okay... uh. So you might not have confessed to Oliver on New Years. I didn't expect things to grow super quiet around here as a result. Mistakes hve been made I'm sorry I dunno how romance works!"

...

"...Ce...ce? You're mad at me aren't you?"

......

"Hhhh I'm sorry I hav-..."

WHADDYA MEAN I HAVEN'T TOLD 'IM?! LASS, IT'S BEEN SO QUIET BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD. I THOUGHT I MESSED UP.

"...Oh. Oh jeez I'm sorry please don't be mad!!"

"It's nice and quiet here right now. Cece and Oliver seem to be going about their business. I dunno why, but gramps seems more tired than usual. Of course, I dunno for sure because... he has no eyes, so...!"

He knows by now someone is watching him between the tall trees, watching his every move and waiting for that moment of weakness where he finally falls.

The owl has plans of his own. He'd need to lure the creature out somehow, but how can he when he's unsure of what it even is?

Just before the ice cavern, he stops. His meager voice calls pitifully into the emptiness. "P-please. Someone... a-anyone.. I need hhh..."

His body slumps forward into the snow, a new layer already settling on it.

The bitter chill of the wind whispers in his ears that he is mere steps away from death's door.

Give up, give up, give up...

There was a time where he would have gladly taken that option, but now there's something new stirring within his darkened soul.

Spite.

"TO SEE MY FRIENDS IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"